Sansevieria plant named ‘GREEN MERMAID’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Sansevieria  cultivar named ‘GREEN MERMAID’ is disclosed, characterized by foliage which is uniquely curved inward, and very straight upward. Foliage is distinctively strong and fibrous, dark green with lighter greyed-green marginal striations. The new variety is a  Sansevieria , typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Sansevieria trifasciata.

Variety denomination: ‘GREEN MERMAID’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar of Sansevieria trifasciata. The new variety is the product of chance discovery. The inventor discovered the new variety as a whole plant, naturally occurring mutation from the parent plant Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Black Gold’, unpatented.

The new variety was first observed by the inventor, in December 2012 in a planting of the parent plant, at a commercial nursery in Costa Rica. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagation of ‘GREEN MERMAID’, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘GREEN MERMAID’ was first performed at a commercial nursery in Costa Rica by leaf cuttings of original plant in 2012. Through subsequent propagation, approximately 5 generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘GREEN MERMAID’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘GREEN MERMAID’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘GREEN MERMAID’ as a new and distinct Sansevieria cultivar:

-   -   1. Foliage of the new variety is uniquely curved inward, and         very straight upward. Most Sansevieria foliage curves outward or         does not curve at all.     -   2. Foliage apex is uniquely broad acute and not sharp.     -   3. Unique marginal greyed-green striation and deep dark green         main blade color.     -   4. Foliage is distinctively strong and hard, made up of         exceptionally fibrous leaf tissue.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘GREEN MERMAID’ are similar to the parent variety, in many horticultural characteristics. However the new variety, ‘GREEN MERMAID’ differs from parent in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The parent variety does not have the same strong, fibrous         leaf tissue.     -   2. Foliage of the new variety is very straight upright with an         inward curve. Foliage of the parent variety is undulating,         twisted and tends to curve outward.     -   3. The new variety has greyed-green marginal non-solid stripes,         the parent variety has solid yellow marginal coloration.     -   4. Foliage apex of the new variety is less acute than that of         the parent variety.     -   5. Plants of the new variety produce more suckers than plants of         the parent variety.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘GREEN MERMAID’ can be compared with the unpatented commercial variety Sanservieria. ‘Whitney’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,456. Plants of the new variety, ‘GREEN MERMAID’ differ from plants of ‘Whitney’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Foliage of the new variety is narrower than foliage of         ‘Whitney’, having an average width of 4.0 cm, compared to 8.5         cm.     -   2. Foliage of the new variety has greyed-green colored marginal         striations, compared to the light green striations of the         comparator.     -   3. Foliage of the new variety has a less acute apex than that of         the comparator.     -   4. Plants of the new variety produce less leaves per plant than         ‘Whitney’.     -   5. Plants of the new variety are taller than plants of ‘Whitney’     -   6. Plants of the new variety have narrow, ensiform leaves,         compared to the wide lanceolate leaves of this comparator.     -   7. Foliage of the new variety is more flexible than foliage of         ‘Whitney’.

Plants of the new variety ‘Green Mermaid’ can also be compared to the commercial variety Sansevieria ‘Black Robusta’, unpatented. Plants of the new variety differ in the following:

-   -   1. Foliage of the new variety is narrower, averaging 4.0 cm,         compared to foliage of 6 to 8 cm in width of the comparator.     -   2. Foliage of the new variety has greyed-green colored marginal         striations, this comparator is heavily striated with light green         and silver over the entire leaf.     -   3. Foliage of the new variety has a less acute apex than that of         the comparator.     -   4. Plants of the new variety produce less leaves per plant than         ‘Black Robusta’.     -   5. Plants of the new variety are taller than plants of ‘Black         Robusta’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘GREEN MERMAID’ at approximately 3 months grown in a commercial greenhouse in Costa Rica in a 6 inch pot.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up of the foliage.

FIG. 3 illustrates somewhat older plants, 2 suckers in a pot of approximately 5 to 6 months grown in a 6 inch pot.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2007, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘GREEN MERMAID’ plant is grown in Costa Rica. The plant is approximately 4 months old in a 6 inch pot. Temperatures ranged between 22° C. to 40° C. during the day and 15° C. to 30° C. at night. No chemical treatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Sansevieria trifasciata ‘GREEN MERMAID’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate rooting: About 2 to 3 months at approximately     17° C. to 40° C. -   Root description: Moderately thick, slightly fleshy, slightly     fibrous, moderately dense, moderately branched, colored     greyed-orange, near RHS N170B.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Monopodial, irregular rosulate. -   Growth rate: Slightly faster than moderate. -   Height: Approximately 35 to 40 cm at 3 to 4 months, approximately 45     to 60 cm at 5 to 6 months. -   Plant spread: Approximately 9.0 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. Approximately 5 to 6 months to a commercially     finished plant. -   Number of leaves per plant at 5 to 6 months: Average range: 2 to 3.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosulate.         -   Average length.—Average 35 cm.         -   Average width.—Average 4.5 cm.         -   Depth (thickness) of leaf blade.—Approximately 2 mm slightly             succulent.         -   Shape of blade.—Ensiform.         -   Blade aspect.—Strong inward fold.         -   Growth aspect.—Leaves grow completely upright.         -   Apex.—Acute, sometimes splitting into 2 acute aspices.         -   Base.—Decurrent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous, shallow, thick ribs.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Matte.         -   Appearance of bottom surface.—Matte.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Darker than 139A, margins             have a well-defined stripe of thick blotching Greyed-Green             193B and 193C. Young foliage under side: Darker than 139A,             margins have a well-defined stripe of thick blotching             Greyed-Green 193B and 193C. Mature foliage upper side:             Darker than Yellow-Green 147A, tinged Greyed-Green N189A.             Margins have a well-defined stripe of thick blotching             Greyed-Green 193B and 193C. This distinct margin             approximately 5 to 6 mm thick. Mature foliage under side:             Darker than Yellow-Green 147A, tinged Greyed-Green N189A.             Margins have a well-defined stripe of thick blotching             Greyed-Green 193B and 193C. This distinct margin             approximately 5 to 6 mm thick.         -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Color: Upper side:             Indistinguishable from leaf blade. Under side:             Indistinguishable from leaf blade. -   Sheath:     -   -   Average length.—Approximately 3.0 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 5 cm (clasping leaf base).         -   Color.—Near Yellow-Green 147C.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, moderately glossy.         -   Other.—Thin, papery sheath occurs under the soil. -   Other distinguishing characteristics: Leaf is very strong and     fibrous, resists breakage.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to the     normal diseases found in Sansevieria has been observed. -   Fruit/seed production: No fruits/seeds detected to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. new and distinct cultivar of Sansevieria plant named ‘GREEN MERMAID’ as herein illustrated and described. 